第一个家用计算机系统 Atari 400（1979）编辑本段回目录
Atari 400 和Atari 800在1979年的出现，现在全世界的家长们都应该起诉这个公司。因为从这个产品开始，电脑游戏正式在孩子们的世界里出现。
1979年，Atari（雅达利）发布他们的第一个家用计算机系统，Atari 400。得克萨斯仪器发布TI-99/4A家用计算机。它的零售为1499.99美元。
1982年，前计算器生产商Commodore公司推出Commodore 64型电脑（C-64），配置为6510微处理器、64K内存、彩色显示器和定制的声音合成芯片，售价595美元（次年降至200美元），它与Atari 400/800和Apple II一起，成为当时个人电脑的主流产品。
在所有个人电脑系统中，C-64的业绩是最好的，据估计它的销量约在1700万-2200万台之间。大家也许不会想到，C-64的这个纪录在很大程度上正是依靠了家庭娱乐的普及和发展，依靠了一家充满传奇色彩的游戏公司。
Atari 400 (1979)编辑本段回目录
Atari第一款低端个人电脑，有8KB的RAM和平板的“薄膜”键盘——它的设计被吹嘘大大超越了19世纪八十年代早期的高低不平，电阻溢出的传统全功能键盘。事实是，一体式薄膜键盘没那么昂贵。除了买个键周边有些凸起，Atari 400的键布置得很平整，缺乏触觉响应；用户不能感性地判断，是不是成功的按下了按键。Atari用每次用户按下按键就从内部扬声器发出一声敲击声来补偿这项功能。Atari 400的键盘得益于相对标准的键盘布局，但是危险的Break键(可能是你用的最少的键)就位于经常使用的Backspace键旁边。那些需要用这个怪物来写论文的同学们就可怜了。
主要参数编辑本段回目录
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| Announced: | December 1978 |
| Released: | November 1979 |
| Price: | US $549.95 |
| CPU: | MOS 6502,1.8MHz |
| RAM: | 8K base, 48K max |
| Display: | 24 X 40 text |
| 320 x 192 monochrome | |
| 160 x 96 with 128 colors | |
| Expansion: | 2 internal expansion slots |
| 1 cartridge slot under front cover | |
| Ports: | 4 controller ports |
| TV video output | |
| Storage: | external floppy drive |
| cassette recorder | |
| OS: | Atari OS |
详解编辑本段回目录
The Atari 400 and 800 were both announced in December 1978, though they didn't actually start shipping until late in 1979.
Designed primarily as a computer for children, the Atari 400 has an "advanced child-proof design featuring pressure-sensitive, wipe-clean keyboard". It has a single cartridge port under the front cover.
The Atari 400 boots-up into "Notepad", the only built-in program. Any other programs will have to run from cassette or cartridge - this includes BASIC, or any other programming language. Game cartridges can be inserted into the cartridge slot in front, starting instantly with no fuss.
Many games were clones of actual video arcade hits, others were original or copies of other popular (or not) computer games of the 80's.
Most of the Atari 400 circuitry is under a solid metal shield, to keep the radio emissions under the legal limit. The two internal expansion slots are also under this cover, which can only be accessed by disassembling the entire console.
Read more about the 400's big sister, the Atari 800 for more fun and details.
Both the Atari 400 and 800 were designed by a team which included Jay Miner, who later went on to help design the Commodore Amiga 1000.
参考文献编辑本段回目录
http://oldcomputers.net/atari400.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_8-bit_family
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_8-bit_family
